Easter in Derby

We take part in a worship gathering each week with a street ministry downtown at Derby Plaza. Typically about 30 of us gather in the plaza for a time of singing, a message from Dennis (long time missionary), food and fellowship.  We help serve food and drinks, engage in conversation and get to know the stories and struggles of the people here.  We are all struggling with different issues and are glad to be able to share God’s love with those who have been rejected from family and society. 

On Easter we had the pleasure of participating in a touching morning for everyone. Dennis shared a message about Jesus washing the diciples’ feet, the relationship they had in friendship and how he wanted to make himself less to serve them. After the message he told everyone that we were going to wash their feet.  The faces in the crowd were painted with expressions of surprise, confusion, and resistence. They remarked in varying tones, ‘why would anyone do this?’ We proceeded to get out basins, soap, and pitchers; then Dennis and Edison started washing peoples’ feet. We helped pour water to clean their feet and distribute towels that we had gotten for each of them.  One of the guys asked if they could wash Dennis’ feet as well.  After everyone else’s feet had been washed one of the little boys washed Dennis’ feet.  It was spontaneous and sincere.  We are looking forward to spending more time with this group.

Language Difficulties

We've heard so many stories about people going to different countries and saying ridiculous things in their new language that we knew it was only a matter of time until we would have our own silly stories to share.  Today you get to hear about a few of the crazy things we've said since arriving.

One Sunday, Boa Vista (another church we attend) had a meal after service to raise money for their new roof.  Annika was eating a cupcake and someone asked what was inside the cupcake.  She replied that there was "cerveja" inside the cupcake when in fact she meant to say that there was "cereja" inside the cupcake.  Cerveja means beer and cereja means cherry.

Just a few days ago I was talking to a few people and they were asking where I lived before I came here to Brazil.  I've been trying to use my past tense skills, but I'm still almost always wrong when I use it.  So, I started answering her question by saying "eu morri" and then immediately realized that I had just told her that "I died" instead of saying "I lived."  We laughed for a while before I was finally able to answer her question.   Morei = I lived      Morri = I died  

Portuguese uses masculine/ feminine forms for pretty much everything.  I am always messing it up...usually at my own expense, but one day I was trying to tell two guys to smile for the camera and used the feminine form of "you two" implying that they were girls.  Oops.  Someone had to tell me later why everyone was laughing so hard because I couldn't figure out what had happened.

I'm sure there will be more to come  :)

Greetings from the South...South America that is.

This is our hill.  Well, obviously not our hill, but we live at the top of it and struggle climbing up it each day so I feel like we're a little bit entitled to call it "our hill."

The roads in our area are pretty rugged at points so cars are used to some pretty hard driving conditions, but no one drives up this hill.  We've been living here a month and a half and I've only seen one person drive up it and that was mainly just because he wanted to try.  I've seen a few motorcycles go down the hill and maybe one car, but you're pretty safe assuming that you can walk in the middle of the street and no one will hit you. 

Annika and Alisha like to run or walk quickly up the hill in an effort to get a little more exercise, but I prefer to go slow and steady (wins the race...but actually, I still always lose).  We're all still breathing incredibly hard by the time we get home no matter how slow/fast we walk. 

There are a few neighbors who are almost always sitting outside their houses and they get to witness "the three Americans" trying to climb the hill with a front row view.  We always wheeze out a quick "bom dia" and continue our trek up the hill. 

Most of the Brazilians just laugh at us when they see how tired we are after climbing the hill and just tell us that they are accustomed to climbing it and so it's not as bad for them.  Maybe when we've been here a year we will finally be "accustomed" to climbing it. 

A Few Pictures

These are some of the younger kids at the church in Sao Lourenco singing for the Easter service.
There are some pretty sunsets here :)
A view of Recife from Olinda, a beautiful, historic city about 20 minutes north of downtown Recife.
There are two types of graffiti here: really talented, and quite funny...this falls into the second category.
This is a picture of our Easter service with the people in Derby Park in downtown Recife.

A Little About the Avocado

Avocados are a beloved food for the three of us--avocados on sandwiches, avocados with salt, avocados in guacamole, avocados in salad, avocados in pasta, avocados by themselves. We just like to eat them.

The avocado culture is a little different here in Brazil. They eat them with sugar--yes sugar. We make the same face at that suggestion as they do when we tell them we eat them with salt. They like to make breakfast shakes that consist of avocado, milk and sugar. Maybe someday we will try it.

There are also a few people who like to ask us if we like "vacamole." This sounds a lot like the word "guacamole" when they say it quickly. So we reply with an enthusiastic "yes, we love it" and the whole room starts laughing because we have just admitted to loving "wobbly cow."

Maybe someday they will convert us to liking their sugar avocado and we will convert them to liking guacamole, but for now there are two definite sides.

:)

Have a wonderful day!

Bom Dia!

This is now the fourth (Annika & Kasey) and second (Alisha) week that we have been here in Recife, Brazil, and what an adventure it´s been. We are now all enrolled in a Portuguese for foreigners class two days a week and are getting some private classes from our dear friend Riso on other days. The language is coming right along, there have been some difficult moments, but we are learning that in matters of communication there are more ways than just speaking! We have become quite proficient in gesturing!

Our house is almost a home . . . just a few more things to arrange before we can call it done. We have been surprised at the amount of work it takes to set up a house and we are learning to do it Brazilian style, with a lot of help from the dear sisters from the church. Our one main problem with the area we live in is the mosquitoes. We battle them daily, equipped with repellent, herbal remedies, mosquito nets and a super awesome electric tennis racket that will zap them dead where they fly. Muahaha! But as fun as it sounds, it really is a bit of a problem and we would ask that you would be in prayer for our neighbor, Alzenira, who was just diagnosed with Dengue fever (a bit like the flu), and also for us, that we can make it a year without coming down with any infectious tropical diseases!


So far our ministry is going well, we have started assisting Dennis Downing, a long time missionary here, with the street ministry in the downtown area of the city. Early on Sunday mornings we take a bus to worship in Derby Park with the homeless. Afterwards we serve them a hearty breakfast and spend a while in conversation (at least we try :). Thanks for reading, we wish you all blessed Easter. Christ is Risen!


Paz e Amor,
AnnikaAlishaKasey

Oi gente!

We (Kasey and Annika) arrived in Brazil on Tuesday afternoon and have spent this week learning about the city, practicing our language skills, and meeting several people from the church.  We spent the first few nights at the Nascimento's house with their family as we tried to locate cell phones and get situated.  The first morning we woke up in a house full of people who only spoke Portuguese, the youngest daughter and cousins from upstairs were there; it was interesting trying to communicate! Thankfully most of the Nascimento family and another missionary family, the Downings, both speak English and have been so helpful.  Friday we spent the day and night with another family from the church that lives closer to where our house will be.  This family only speaks Portuguese, but Sandra, the mom, spent the day showing us around the city of São Lourenço; where to find cheap fruit, which markets are the best, and how to find our house from the main street--all very important things. Tonight we will begin moving our things into our house and we will officially move in Saturday (I think).  We got to meet the youth at the São Lourenço church on Wednesday night and they had a party for us.  We are very excited to begin working with them and getting to know them better!

Another piece of good news is that Alisha has her visa!  God has been so faithful and we are very glad that she will be able to join us in just a few weeks.  Please pray that she will finish everything she needs to in the states and will have a safe flight!  She is heading to Brazil on March 26! Thank you for your support and prayers. 

                                               Love Kasey, Annika, and Alisha

'I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. '   Psalm 34:1-5